Prayers

I come to you this evening/morning asking for prayers...

January has been my best month ever as far as seizures go...
Prior to the pregnancy, I was averaging a little less three per day (this is including the Ketogenic Diet).
Once pregnant, we saw a big drop.  I only averaged about 1.25/day!!! 
Since coming off the meds, my average has been about 1/day!  Praise the Lord!!!
Well, these last four months have been wonderful!!

October, November, and December, I averaged .9/day.  That's about 28 total for a month!!  I've had months as high as 423!!!
Well, until Monday, I had only had 6 seizures total for the entire month of January!!!!!!!!!!!
Can I get some really loud, say it like you mean it, Praise the Lord's!?!?!?!?

Something went crazy on Monday...
I had:

3 Monday
5 on Tuesday
6 Today

So, I had as many just today as I had in the first 23 days of the month!!!

We think this could be giving us some answers, though.  Progesterone levels increase throughout pregnancy and start to drop to prepare for delivery.  So, maybe progesterone is very protective for me.  I spoke with my neuro today and she agrees and is going to try to call in some progesterone cream for me to start as soon as our sweet little girl is born.  However, this could interfere with her ability to nurse, etc. 

Thus, I come to you begging for prayers!  All along, we have believed that this pregnancy could bring about a miracle, as the docs at the Mayo Clinic stated.  So, we want to continue to believe that and see healing come through this...please join us in agreement that this is just the last hoorah of seizures and that I will be healed completely with her birth!!  Please!

Thank you all so much!  I'll wrap this up since I don't have any fun pics to keep you entertained!

Thank you for your faithful prayers!!!

From Connor's Mommy

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

When Connor was battling cancer, especially during his last six months, it would just kill me to see him suffer.  I felt the suffering right along with him.  My heart actually ached when I looked at his sweet face, and his body just wasting away before my eyes.  I think that was really where I questioned God the most.  How can you let this sweet child suffer like this?  It was inhumane.  I have often thought to myself that one of my first questions to Jesus when I see Him is "why such suffering?"  And then, I wonder, when I see His face, if I will even care anymore.  Or, will all those thoughts and pains just disappear at the sight of His face?  I imagine it's like forgetting the pains of childbirth once you hold your child in your arms.  The song "It's Gonna Be Worth It All" by Rita Springer is about this very thing... How our earthly troubles will be worth it when we see His face.

I don't understand Your ways
Oh but I will give You my song
Give You all of my praise
You hold on to all my pain
With it You are pulling me closer
And pulling me into Your ways
Now around every corner
And up every mountain
I'm not looking for crowns
Or the water from fountains
I'm desperate in seeking, frantic believing That the sight of Your face Is all that I need I will say to You

It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all
I believe this

I'm quoting II Corinthians 4:17 again.  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."  I wish I could have been there when Connor saw Jesus for the first time.  I'm sure that the pain and discomfort he had been feeling for several months were all forgotten at the sight of His face.  I'm sure that Connor felt like it was all worth it ... just to see His face!

In Revelation, John speaks of the coming tribulations and suffering of Christians for the sake of Jesus' name.  He encourages them all to be conquerors in all these trials, and they will receive a reward beyond their comprehension.  The reward will be worth the cost.  "Do not fear what you are about you suffer.  Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation.  Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.... The one who conquers, I will grant him to sitwith me on my throne." Revelations 2:10 and 3: 21     I can just hearConnor whispering to me, "Mom, trust me.  It's gonna be worth it!!!"

Always believing,

Joy Cruse

Last minute touch ups

Well, I have an amazingly talented hubby!!!

We have an armoire that we decided to use for her changing area.  B repainted it and made it gorgeous for her room.  However, once you open it, the back just has the punch out type thing for your TV cables.  So, he decided this weekend that something needed to be done.

We guessed that her hands would be all over whatever was against the back and so it needed to be safe and soft.  The top part, she won't be able to reach.  So, we decided to just have fun with that.

So, here is his masterpiece.

 The changing spot is pink minky dot.  

So, the back "wall" is chocolate minky dot.

 At the top, he created a french bulletin board from the polka dot on the bed.

 This pic was taken by HaleyBPhotography.  Go check out her work & sign up for her to take your pics!  She does an amazing job!!

 I'm so impressed with the job that he did...

Here's a quick look at the rest of her room.

 Her dresser with many of the frames that B's cousin, K, made, 

and Granny's poem for our baby!!

 P's bed!!!

P's glider, the precious blanket that Piper made, and her Boppy!!

We are terrible about not wanting to put holes in the walls and so we've not hung the precious letters that spell out her name that B's cousin made.  She also made a French Bulletein Board for the wall that we've not hung.  Finally, we need to decide on curtains (i.e., what fabric, what style, etc.?)! Hopefully, we'll get that done this week!!

Thanks for stopping by to see her sweet room and my hubby's amazing talent!!!!

It all seems to be coming together!  She's due in two days.  So, hopefully, we are ready!!

Car Seat

Where do each of you put your baby's car seat?

We have bucket seats.  So, the choices are behind the driver or passenger.

Thanks!!!!

Don't forget that you can go to buynolliecovers.com and order a precious cover for your car seat.  If you enter 'fox' in the checkout, they will send you extra goodies that match your car seat for FREE!!

Miss P's Room & You can bless others!!

We are so excited about Miss P's room.  It is coming together quite well.  Now, we just need a little one to fill it...only 12 more days until her due date!

A precious girl that I grew up with, Piper, is super talented and she made all of this.  I was so excited to do this post so that you could see how precious P's room will be...then, I found out that every bit of profit that she makes for 2011 is going to serve orphans.  With my invoice was a letter from her sharing how the Lord has impacted her heart for the orphans this year.  As most of you know, B and I were in the process of adopting a sweet little one from S. Korea when we both got sick.  We still have a heart for orphans and can't wait until the day that the Lord allows us to add to our family through adoption, as well.

So, do you want to bless orphans and have precious stuff for your kiddos' room?  She is opening a business but doesn't have a name for it yet.  So, in the meantime, if you want to reach out to her and see how precious she could make your kids' room, just leave a comment and I'll get you in touch with her.

Update from Nate's Mommy

01/15/2011 - "I will start by saying Nate is doing very well. He and Wes went to Los Angeles this past week for his 100 day post transplant check up. The doctors are very pleased with his progress and all scans are CLEAR of cancer (such sweet music to our ears). He does have some fluid on his brain and we are praying it will correct itself and not require a surgery or shunt. He is getting stronger each day as he is playing for much longer periods of time. I think Jake, Luke and Nate have been on the floor playing this morning since they woke up. This is great for Nate and he is eating and starting to take steps without his walker. We do home school every night and he is making great progress. He may always need a walker, that is still to be determined, but this shows us he is getting stronger and not in pain. He will get to start going back to physical therapy very soon and this should help him so much. We still have to be very cautious about germs, but the restrictions are getting a little lighter and will continue to lighten the further out he gets from transplant. Nate will be 5 in exactly one month from today. As I think back and remember being told he would not see his third birthday and then being told his fourth would be his last I can still feel the fear and pain of thinking we would never see another birthday for our little guy. Well, I have come to realize Nate’s days are in God’s hands and I am so blessed as I start to plan a little Batman party for a little boy who has taught me more about life and trusting in God than I think I will ever be able to teach him. As I have said before I don’t know the future, but I am so grateful to have Nate in our family and humbled by all who have walked this journey with us. My prayer is for God to restore Nate’s body in every way for HIS glory.
On another note this has been a very sad week for so many that we know. We lost our music teacher and friend from Pullen. She and her husband were killed last Sunday in a car accident. She was only 25 and he was 23. Please pray for their families and our school as this loss is felt so deeply and will be felt for a very long time. Another co-worker lost her mother, my grandmother passed and two of our friends in LA are really struggling right now. Nathaniel (4) and Vincent (10), are two of our friends who are fighting brain cancer and they are in the depths of the battle right now. The list goes on and on, but please pray and remember these families and all the other little ones fighting this monster. Much love and thanks, Jackie"